Aftermath
by ElliotNOliviaSVULover
Summary: Sequel to Cruisin', takes place between when they get home and about 3 years later. Rated M for later.
1. Chapter 1

Okay, so I'm trying something out here. This is a sequel to 'Cruisin', if you want more let me know and I'll continue it. I know this chapter is short, but that's because I wanted to see how you guys like it.

You probably should read Cruisin' first to get what's happened, this takes place between when they return home (Ch 9 of Cruisin') and the epilogue (around 3 yrs later) hope everyone enjoys!!

Please, please, please R&R!!

**DISCLAIMER: **I don't own them.

The week before Olivia had been bitching about not even wanting to go on the cruise and now once it was over she didn't want to go home, although technically she wasn't going home at least not to her home.

When Elliot had asked her to move in with him and the kids she'd have been the first to admit she was scared as hell. Only one other time in her life had she been faced with that much commitment in a relationship and that was ages and ages ago, back when she was too young to know better. Sure she'd pretty much been living with Elliot and the kids for the past year since Kathy had disappeared anyway this not leaving at the end of the day thing though, was an entirely different matter.

"What're you thinking about?" Elliot asked as he drove the family home from the airport.

Olivia glanced behind her to see if the kids were paying any attention to them, thankfully they didn't seem to be.

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

"What do you mean?" Elliot asked, confused.

Olivia sighed before she continued. "Are you sure you want me moving in with you? You don't think this is too soon do you?"

"Honestly? If anything I feel like it should have happened sooner. I am so sure of this." He said.

She smiled at his confession and reached over to take his hand in hers. While she was still not entirely sure about the whole thing, just like with the past year though she knew they'd get through it all together.

Before anyone had hardly noticed they had pulled up to Elliot's house and were driving in the driveway.

"Alright guys, why don't you head inside and start unpacking? I'm going to run Liv over to her place to get some clothes and things." Elliot told the kids.

"Okay, see you both in a bit." Maureen called to the pair as the four kids got out and grabbed their suitcases.

The Stabler kids quickly ran in the house and threw their dirty clothes down the laundry shoot.

"How long do you think we're got until they get back?" Dickie asked.

"Maybe an hour, hour and a half tops." Kathleen said. "They'll save moving the big stuff in for another time."

"Alright, I'll order the food, you guys get started decorating." He told his sisters.

While Dickie got out the menu for the local Chinese restaurant and started ordering everyone's favourites the girls gathered all the art supplies they could find and spread them out across the family room floor.

"Okay, so we need to make this extra special, you know Liv doesn't feel like we all want her here." Maureen said as they turned their attention towards the large piece of poster board.

"How about something like 'Welcome Home Mom! We love you so much!'" Lizzie suggested.

"Sounds kind of like she was out of town for a while without us," Kathleen said.

"Well what do you suggest then?" Lizzie snapped.

"Lizzie, I think your suggestion is perfect." Maureen said. "After all, she is coming home to us, even if she wasn't away from us exactly."

Maureen, being the most artistic, took her pencil and sketched the words out on the poster board. The other two girls, along with Dickie who had joined them by now, began decorating around the words.

"Do we have any balloons and streamers?" Kathleen asked.

"I think there's some crime scene tape from our last birthday." Dickie joked. "Seriously, there might be in the desk drawer."

She went over and looked in the desk drawer where there was in fact a roll of bright pink streamers. Kathleen took that out and started stringing it across the room. Once they were finished with the sign Lizzie and Dickie started blowing up balloons to hang as well.

Meanwhile, in Manhattan Elliot and Olivia had arrived at her place and went up to her apartment to pack up some stuff.

"So I figured I'd just pack up a bunch of clothes and my toiletries and stuff." She said as they walked in the living room.

"Sounds good to me, let me know what you want help with." Elliot told her.

The two spent the next half an hour or so getting all of Olivia's clothes packed up in the few boxes she had around the apartment. They realized she already had the majority of her toiletries packed from their cruise so there wasn't much to do there. Once they had finished they loaded the boxes in Elliot's SUV and each drove their own car back to his house in Queens.

After Maureen had finished coloring in the big letters on their sign the kids all quickly finished up their decorating and waited for the food to arrive. When it had they paid and quickly stashed the bags in the microwave in an attempt to keep things warm longer.

Soon after, Elliot and Olivia were pulling in the driveway. The pair entered the house and was immediately met with not only the children's decorations, but all four smiling faces.

"Welcome home Mom!" They all called out.

Olivia instantly started tearing up as she saw the room the kids had decorated.

"Come here all of you." She said as she pulled them into one big group hug. "Thank you guys! I love you all so much, you know that right?"

They all nodded in agreement before Elliot broke things up.

"Hey, I want a hug from my girl too." He whispered. "Welcome home Livvie!"

Suddenly Olivia perked her head up and began sniffing the air.

"Is that Chinese?" She asked.

"Yeah, I ordered everyone's favourites." Dickie told her.

In an instant Olivia went running to the kitchen to find where the food was hidden. Within moments she found it in the microwave. Elliot followed her in the room and got down plates from the cupboard for the whole family. As the plates were filled everyone carried them out to the dining room to sit and eat together.

"So, school tomorrow, eh? Did everyone do their homework while we were gone?" Elliot asked.

"I did!" Lizzie called out.

"I've got one more chapter to read." Maureen answered.

"Finished in the car," Kathleen replied.

"Dickie, what about your homework?" Elliot asked, noticing his son wasn't answering.

"I…umm…I have French left." He blushed.

"Tell you what RJ, after dinner I'll sit down and check it out with you, okay?" Olivia suggested.

"Thanks!" He said with a huge smile.

The rest of dinner went by rather uneventfully. When everyone had finished eating Elliot sent the girls off to do whatever they wanted while he loaded the dishwasher and Olivia and Dickie sat at the table doing homework.

"Wow! I never knew you spoke French Liv!" Dickie exclaimed once his homework was finished.

"My mom wanted me to learn another language when I was growing up, so she taught me French."

"Cool! Well thanks for helping me out." He said before he got up and left for his bedroom.

"Finally, I have you all to myself." Elliot told her as he helped her out of her chair.

"Oh yeah, and just what do you plan on doing with me?" Olivia asked seductively.

"Follow me to our bedroom and I'll show you." He answered with a wink.

When they reached the bedroom door way Olivia hesitated at the threshold. Elliot, being ever in tune with his partner immediately noticed. He pulled her into his arms and began speaking to her gently, reassuring her.

"Baby, it's just you and me here. I know what you're thinking and there's no need to worry. When Kathy left last year I switched rooms with Maur and Kat. Not that she and I had even shared that room for years before, but they have the master bedroom now."

He could see her relax a little and she almost took a step into the room before glancing at the bed.

"That too is all mine, I junked the bed and all the linens. Everything is just mine, just ours now." He told her.

That was all it took, Olivia walked in the bedroom and pulled Elliot down onto the bed with her.

"I'm sorry for worrying." She said.

"Don't be, I know this is a huge step for you and I also know I'd have the same worries if our roles were reversed. I want you to know that you have been the one who's had my heart for years now."

He pulled her lips to his and drew her into one of the most loving, most passion filled kisses. Finally when breathing became an issue they broke apart.

"I love you El."

"I love you too. Thank you so much for today."

"You're welcome." She replied before yawning.

"Livvie, go to sleep." He chuckled as she fought to keep her eyes open.

"I don't want to go to sleep and wake up and find out this was all a dream." She yawned again.

"I assure you, this may be a dream come true for me but nothing will change overnight."

"Okay." She mumbled.

Within seconds she had given in to her body's urges and was fast asleep. Elliot took great care to remove her clothes without waking her before laying next to her and pulling the covers over them both.


	2. Chapter 2

So Season 6 showed up on my doorstep today, yay!!

Keep in mind here when reading that shorter chapters mean more frequent updates. Hopefully frequent enough that you won't think I deserted you like I seemed to have after I posted Ch 1.

A HUGE thanks to everyone reading & reviewing!! This is for all of you who've asked for more!!

Remember, this takes place after Cruisin'. Oh and I apologize for any spelling errors, spell check only catches that which is not misspelled as another word.

**DISCLAIMER: **They are just my playthings, what keeps me going on a sad and lonely day.

--

The first month that Olivia had lived with the Stablers had been a new experience to say the least. Dealing with each other 24/7 was looking to be more than Elliot and Olivia had bargained for. Neither had really stopped to think that if they had a rough day at work with each other now they'd still have to deal with the other person out of work too.

For the past week or so those days where they ended up at each other's throats seemed to multiple like bunnies. Elliot hated to admit it, but he'd managed to cross the line a few too many times and go off on Olivia when he shouldn't have. But in his defense it did seem like he couldn't do anything right anymore. She'd either start complaining or crying and Olivia Benson did not cry.

It finally took Casey confronting Olivia one morning when she came to drop off papers for the detective.

As Casey walked in she immediately wanted to turn and run away.

"What are you deaf Stabler?! I said coffee not tea!" Olivia yelled at her partner.

"I didn't think you'd want it after one sniff of your coffee yesterday morning had you throwing up!" He yelled back.

They both knew they were getting carried away but neither could stop. That was when Casey jumped in.

"Liv, got a second?" Casey asked.

"What's up?"

"Umm…can we go to the ladies room and chat?" She asked, looking around at the whole squad now watching them.

"I guess." Olivia replied.

The two women walked over to the ladies room and went inside.

"Don't yell at me okay?" Casey began. "When was your last period?"

"Huh?" Olivia asked, having no clue why she was being asked that.

"Let me try this a different way. How long has the morning sickness been going on for?" Casey asked slowly.

"A couple of days but it's not morning sickness, RJ was sick like a week or so ago I must have caught what he had." She replied.

Casey made a mental note to check with Elliot but she was almost certain it'd been a lot longer than a week ago that the boy was sick.

"Liv, is there any possible way you could be pregnant?"

Casey regretted asking the moment the words left her mouth, but she had to ask.

"What?! No? I couldn't be, could I?" She asked.

"I'm probably not the one to ask seeing as I don't live with you. If you have to ask though then I'd say it's a possibility."

"Wow!" Olivia said, now completely speechless.

"Make up some excuse to Don; we need to go to a drug store NOW!"

"Let's go!"

The pair walked out of the ladies room trying to act as if nothing had happened. Olivia walked over to her captain's office while Casey went to set the papers she had been carrying the whole time on Olivia's desk.

"Everything okay?" Elliot asked seeing that Olivia was headed to Cragen's office.

"Sure, just a mini-crisis I need some help with." Casey told him.

Meanwhile, across the squad room Olivia was engaged in some lying of her own. She had knocked on the door and gotten permission to enter.

"Casey needs some help with one of my cases she's working right now. Would it be okay if I run over to her office for a bit?" She asked.

"With or without your partner?"

"Without, he'll still be here if something comes up." She explained.

"Alright, hurry back." Don said dismissing her.

Olivia walked back over to her desk and grabbed her coat.

"Okay, I'm ready." She told Casey.

"Liv?" Elliot asked. "Where are you going?"

"I have to go help Casey with something. I'll be back shortly." She told him before giving him a quick peck on the lips.

Casey and Olivia then left and headed down to get in Casey's car and drive to the drug store down the street.

"Not that one!" Olivia called out as they were pulling up out front.

"What?" Casey asked.

"Elliot and I stop in there all the time, what if someone recognizes me?"

"Are you 12?" Casey chuckled.

"Seriously, go across town. I don't want Elliot finding out just yet."

Casey continued driving until they were halfway to Queens before finally getting the okay to stop. They got out of the car and walked in the drug store and sought out the 'Family Planning' aisle.

"Ooh, get this one!" Casey shrieked, holding up a Clearblue Digital box.

"Yes, because seeing the word 'Pregnant' makes it so much more meaningful." Olivia laughed.

She did however take the box and the two walked up to the counter to pay. Once they finished paying they went back out and get in Casey's car.

"Alright Liv, where to?" Casey asked.

"We're almost to Queens anyway, why don't you just head to the house." She replied.

Casey started the car up and drove them to Elliot and Olivia's house. They pulled in the driveway, both failing to notice the car parked in the garage. They both got out of the car and walked in through the front door.

"I'm gonna grab a bottle of water, it might help, do you want anything?" Olivia asked.

"Nah, I'm good, meet you in your bedroom."

While Olivia headed to the kitchen Casey started up the stairs. As she was passing the master bedroom something caught her attention.

"Aunt Casey? What are you doing here?" Maureen asked from where she sat on her bed.

"I…I…" She stuttered, suddenly unable to lie.

"Okay Case, let's get this over with." Olivia called out as she walked up the stairs.

Just as she hit the landing at the top she saw Casey pointing discreetly towards the oldest girls' room and immediately turned white as a sheet.

"Mom? What's going on?" Maureen came running out of her room worried.

"N…nothing. Just umm…stopped home for a second. What are you doing here?" Olivia asked.

"My class was cancelled, so I came home for the rest of the day." Maureen replied.

"Casey and I have to grab something from my room. I'll…uh…be back in four minutes."

Olivia grabbed Casey's arm and pulled her to the bedroom. Quickly she shut the door behind them and locked it.

"I could've sworn we were going to get caught back there." Casey told her. "I suddenly felt like a teenager trying to hide something from my mom."

"I don't know that I can do this, not knowing that Mo's home."

"Oh you're taking this test. I did not drive all the way to Queens for nothing." Casey said.

"Fine, give me it." Olivia growled.

Casey handed her the box which she took in the bathroom, opened, took the test out, peed on the stick, and then came out and set it on the nightstand.

"So, we wait three minutes huh?" Casey asked.

"That's the way it works, yeah. God this is going to take forever isn't it?"

"Nah, not too long. So, how are you going to tell Elliot?"

"I have no idea. He's going to freak out though. We've only been dating since the cruise, this is way too soon."

"No, you've only been sleeping together since the cruise. The two of you have pretty much been dating since Kathy disappeared if not longer."

"I guess. Has it been three minutes yet?"

"No, but hey maybe you're super pregnant and the result's showing already." Casey chuckled.

Casey and Olivia hesitantly peeked over at the night stand. Casey was right, there was Olivia's fate shining bright for all to see.

"You're pregnant!!" Casey screamed, forgetting that there was in fact one of the Stabler kids at home just then.

Olivia, who was just standing there in disbelief, was snapped out of her shock by the banging on the locked bedroom door. Noticing that she wasn't going to be able to hide the news anymore Olivia unlocked the door letting Maureen in.

"Oh my God! No way! Mom you're really pregnant?! This is awesome!" Maureen screeched, pulling Olivia into her arms.

"That's what the test says." Olivia said, still not believing this was happening.

"Daddy is going to be so happy." Maureen told her.

"Are you sure?"

"Oh yeah definitely."

"Liv, we should probably get back to work." Casey said.

"We should. Mo, don't tell anyone, okay?"

"No problem. Be safe at work. I love you Mom!"

"Love you too honey." Olivia replied.

The two women left the house, got back in Casey's car, and drove back to the station. As they were walking in Elliot looked up.

"What took so long?" He asked.

"Tell him Liv." Casey said before she turned and left.

"Tell me what Livvie?" He asked, concern etched all across his face.

She hadn't wanted to tell him this soon, she wasn't ready for it, but looking at how worried he was at that moment that something bad was going on she knew she had to tell him. Olivia walked over and whispered in Elliot's ear.

"I'm pregnant."


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry that it took me so long to get this one up. I've had a lot going on in life lately and haven't really had time to sit down and write. However, in an attempt to make it up to everyone this chapter is pretty long.

I'll warn everyone now, there's some casefile in here and it's NOT pretty, the case is definitely a tough one, but it was needed as you'll see.

I know everyone's a bit OOC here (Elliot in particular at times) but it's my fic and frankly I can write the characters how I want because…..

**DISCLAIMER: **I don't own them.

--

"Liv?" Elliot asked, unable to believe what he'd heard.

"Can we please talk about this at home?" Olivia begged.

"You know you can't tell me something like this and expect me to go all day without talking about it." He said.

"Fine. What do you propose? That I shout it out to the whole squad?" She growled.

"Shh…calm down sweetheart. I was actually thinking more like taking a lunch break and discussing this." He tried to calm his girlfriend.

"Good luck getting Don to let us out for lunch since I just got back." She told him.

"Trust me, I'll get us a lunch break." He said.

Elliot got up from his desk and walked over to the captain's office. He knocked on the door and waited for the okay to enter.

"So I was thinking I'd go out and pick us all up some lunch. Do you want anything?" Elliot asked.

"Sure, get me whatever." Don replied.

Elliot left the office with a big grin on his face.

"Fin, John, lunch?" He called to the other two detectives.

"You're buying? Sure." Fin said.

Elliot jotted down a list before going back over to his desk to call the deli and order their sandwiches for take out. As he sat down he smiled at Olivia almost as if to say 'I told you I'd make this work' before calling and ordering. 25 minutes later he went and picked everything up.

"Liv and I will be up in the break room if anyone needs us." Elliot said, taking his and Olivia's food and leading her up the stairs.

The two walked in to the break room and Elliot locked the door behind them. He set their sandwiches down and waited until Olivia was seated to start talking.

"Okay, so tell me what's going on?"

"Casey, umm…she made me take a test. We went and got on and went back to the house and I took it. El, the word was there like two minutes later. I'm pregnant." Olivia choked out, trying not to cry.

"You're sure?" He asked.

"Pretty sure, yeah. I haven't had a period since before we went on the cruise." She confessed.

"You're sure?" He asked again.

"I think I'm pretty fucking sure about that!!" Olivia started yelling.

"Calm down baby, it's okay." He said, getting up and pulling her into his arms. "I'm just a bit surprised is all. This is big news."

"I know, sorry. I just…Mo said you'd be really happy and I don't know you don't seem it." She told him.

"Maur knows? Who else knows?" He asked.

"She was home when we got there, her class was cancelled or whatever. When Casey looked at the test she yelled out that I'm pregnant without even thinking about Mo being a couple of doors down. I am so sorry. They're the only ones who know."

By this time the tears were flowing freely down Olivia's cheeks. Elliot continued to hold her and try to comfort her.

"How do you really feel about all this El?" Olivia asked hesitantly.

"Honestly? I'm not sure. I'm not angry or that. I can't be, if anything I'm more than responsible for it happening. At the same time though, this is still a really big thing. I can't say a surprise because we both knew subconsciously at least that it was a possibility." He explained before pausing.

"I see." Olivia sighed.

She needed to get out of there now. Everything inside her was screaming to run and run fast. There was no way she could not have this baby, but if Elliot didn't want to she wasn't going to force him to stay with her. She would just move back out and do this on her own.

"Honey, let me finish." Elliot told her. "Please, don't run from me right now. Please!" He begged. "I love you so much Livvie and I am so honored that you are carrying our baby. We will get through this together and I swear to you, I am truly happy."

"I know it's a bit of a shock at this point, but I really am happy El. There's no one else I could ever dream of having a child with." She said, pulling him to her for a kiss.

"We should probably get back downstairs before the guys suspect something."

"What? Like me sitting up here ravishing you?" She winked.

"Yes, like that." He chuckled. "So we're doing this huh? We're having a baby?"

"We are. We don't have to say anything just yet to the guys though do we?"

"No, not until you're ready."

"Good, although I think we should tell the rest of the kids tonight. You know to take some of the pressure off Mo. Besides, the more time they have to adjust the better." She said as they got up to go back downstairs.

"Trust me, they are all going to be thrilled when they find out." Elliot told her.

Elliot and Olivia both went back down to the squad room to get back to work for the rest of the day.

"So how was 'lunch' you two?" Fin asked, teasing them as Elliot and Olivia get to the bottom of the steps.

"My turkey sandwich was pretty good. How about your roast beef Liv?" Elliot asked, smirking.

"Not bad. Fin, how was your lunch?" Olivia chuckled.

Fin turned back to this desk mumbling something that sounded like 'that's not what I meant' under his breath while Olivia and Elliot both broke out in laughter.

Around ten minutes after they had finished lunch Don came out of the office and walked over to Elliot and Olivia's desks.

"A call just came in a little girl was brought to Mercy General about 20 minutes ago. Her neighbor found her beaten and bruised all alone in the apartment where she lived. I'd like you two to take this one since you're both much better with the children than Fin and Munch." He told the pair.

"Sure cap, we're on it now." Elliot replied as he stood up and went to get their coats.

He walked back over to Olivia and helped her into her coat. The two then left to go down to their sedan.

"Are you going to be okay with this?" Elliot asked as soon as the elevator doors closed.

"No less than usual. Just because I know I'm carrying a child now isn't going to change anything." Olivia insisted.

Elliot wasn't so sure he believed her, but would humor her here. "Okay, just checking." He said.

The elevator reached the basement parking garage and the two detectives got out and walked over to their sedan. Elliot, knowing Olivia preferred not to drive, got in the driver's side as she stepped in the passenger's side before driving off.

The ride to the hospital had been made in silence, their minds presumably on the big news of the day. When they arrived and got parked they walked into the ER and up to the triage nurse.

"Detective Benson, this is my partner Detective Stabler, SVU." Olivia told her.

"Ah yes, you must be the detectives here to see Heather Lewis. She's down in Room Four." The nurse said.

The pair walked down the hall to Room Four and peeked in real quick. What they saw was not at all what Olivia or Elliot had been expecting. There sitting in the middle of the bed was what would have been one of the most gorgeous little girls had she not been so beaten up.

"El, she…she's just a baby." Olivia whispered.

"I can do this alone if you need me to." He said gently.

"No, I'll be okay." She told him as she took a deep breath and he reached over to wipe the one stray tear dancing down her cheek.

Olivia knocked gently on the door before they both walked inside the room.

"Hi Sweetheart!" She called to the little girl. "My name's Olivia and this is my friend Elliot." She said as she pointed towards her partner.

The girl's eyes were just about swollen shut from the bruises. That combined with the numerous cuts on her body, her jaw wired shut from being broken, the cast on her right arm and left leg, and blood caked in her hair were all the evidence needed to show she'd been through hell.

"I'm sorry, you are?" Elliot turned to the woman in the room and asked.

"Elizabeth Martin, I live in the apartment next to Heather and her mother." The woman, in her mid-20's replied. "Is she going to be okay?"

"She should be, yes." Elliot told the woman.

They both looked over to see Olivia crouched down next to the bed soothing Heather quietly.

"We will need some help from you though Miss Martin. We'll need to know any information about Heather and her mom that you can give us also if you heard anything suspicious going on within the past day or so."

"Let's see, she just celebrated her second birthday last week. I remember that day I had passed Shannon, that's her mom, in the hallway as I was coming home from work and she mentioned it, more like grumbled it to me actually. She didn't have Heather with her but I assumed she was going to get her from a friend's house. Heather spent the day with friends of Shannon's while she went off and worked, my weekends off I usually would watch Heather for her. They're not usually home until around 6pm or so and sometimes I would watch her for a couple of hours from then on too. I would evenings at Mt Sinai so I'm gone from about 10pm until 8am and normally would pass Shannon and Heather in the hallway leaving for the day as I was coming home from work. Today when I walked past their apartment I just heard Heather screaming and screaming. It was a different cry, you know? Like I could just tell she was hurt, so I knocked on the door and no one answered so I tried the doorknob and the door opened. There was Heather just sitting in the middle of the living room floor." Elizabeth said.

"When was the last time you had seen them?" Elliot asked.

"Shannon had come over just last evening, around 7:30 or so I'd say and asked me if I could watch Heather while she went to go meet a friend. She came back to take her home around 9:45. I remember thinking that I was going to be late to work because she wasn't going to come pick Heather up by the time I had to leave." Elizabeth replied, trying to keep her tears to a minimum. "This weekend is my weekend off, I was planning to take Heather down to Central Park to play since it's supposed to be fairly warm on Saturday." She sobbed.

While Elliot gathered information from Elizabeth Martin, Olivia sat talking to Heather, her heart breaking seeing this little girl who with her big brown eyes and dark brown curls could easily pass for Olivia as a toddler.

"You are just the sweetest little thing aren't you? Don't worry baby girl I'm going to find whoever did this to you." Olivia promised, even though she knew the girl had no idea what she was saying.

By this time Elliot was finishing up with Elizabeth and was walking out to the nurse's station to get some more information.

"You're very good with her." Elizabeth quietly said as she walked back over to where Olivia now sat next to Heather. "Do you have any children of your own?" She asked.

This was quite possibly the first time in the past year that anyone had asked her that and the words just flowed from her mouth.

"Three girls and a boy, they're all a lot older though, 14 year old boy/girl twins, then an 18 year old daughter, and a 22 year old daughter." Olivia told her.

"Well you obviously are a wonderful mother." Elizabeth said.

Meanwhile, Elliot was asking Dr. Denis, the pediatrician assigned to care for Heather, about her prognosis.

"How is she doc?" He asked.

"The things I've seen while examining her I'll be honest were making even me cringe. Her jaw is all but completely shattered, two severe black eyes, numerous cuts on her face, one laceration in the middle of her forehead was stitched up by the on call physician down here before I saw her. There's also the broken arm and leg as well as a shattered pelvis and a few burn marks on her left arm that's not broken. The oldest bruises are at most a week or so old." Dr. Denis explained.

"How long is she expected to stay here?"

"Best guess I have right now is around a week, week and a half. She's looking at a few more surgeries before she'll be released. Even then she may still need physical therapy later on for regaining use of her arm and walking." The doctor responded.

"I assume she's officially in the care of the state at this point and will not be released to her mother."

The doctor nodded. "She will not be allowed out with anyone."

"I can get a court order if we need to but I'm going to request a uniformed officer at Heather's door at all times and that Elizabeth Martin be the only visitor allowed. From what she's said she deeply cares for this little girl and seems to be a pretty important person in her life." Elliot told the doctor.

"That will be fine, no court order will be necessary."

Elliot walked back to the room and found just Elizabeth there holding Heather in her arms as best she could with the girl's injuries.

"Where's Olivia?" He asked.

"Bathroom, I was showing her all of Heather's injuries and she suddenly got as white as a sheet and bolted for the bathroom. I'm sorry, I thought it was okay, she had asked."

"It's fine, really. I talked to Heather's doctor though and you are going to be allowed to come visit her any time you want." Elliot said.

"Thank you! I've always said my favorite times were the night's I'd watch her and the weekends she'd stay over."

Just then Olivia came out of the bathroom.

"Sorry about that." She apologized.

"No big deal. We should get going anyway. Elizabeth, here's my card, call if you have anything else to help out or if you just need to talk. Thank you again!" Elliot announced as he and Olivia turned to leave.

When they had gotten back in the sedan and away from prying eyes Elliot took Olivia's hand and pulled her into a kiss.

"Talk to me Livvie." He whispered, breaking their kiss.

"I thought I could handle it. I really thought I'd be okay until I saw the extent of her injuries. It was just too much." She explained.

"It's understandable Liv. You saw that little girl and she looks so much like you must have at her age. It was like reliving your past I bet."

"Yeah," she nodded, "it was. Only, my mom, she was never quite that bad. She'd…she'd get drunk and hit me or that it just was never that bad." Olivia told him as they drove back to the station.

"God, I can't believe we're really having a kid." Elliot suddenly said just as they were nearing the precinct.

"I know, it's crazy isn't it? I honestly had just started thinking it was something just not in the cards for me. That I was just never going to be a mother."

"Liv, you're been one the past year, whether or not anyone admitted it then or just recently." He told her.

Elliot pulled into the parking garage, found their spot, and parked. He and Olivia then got out and went up to the squad room.

"What have we got?" Don asked as they walked in.

"Heather Lewis, she turned two last week. Her neighbor, and part time babysitter, who just so happens to be a nurse as well, found her alone this morning and brought her to the hospital." Elliot began.

"How bad is she?" Fin dared to ask.

Elliot glanced at Olivia who noticeably, to him at least, tensed up momentarily before he continued.

"Real bad, her jaw was almost completely shattered and is wired shut right now, two severe black eyes, face full of cuts including one that required stitches, broken arm and leg, shattered pelvis, and burns. The pediatrician caring for her said even he cringed seeing her." Elliot explained basically repeating everything Dr. Denis had told him.

Olivia reached in her pocket, took something out, and handed it to Don. He looked at the two pictures she had handed him before posting them on the board. One picture Elizabeth had given Olivia that she had taken just a few days prior. The other a poloroid Olivia took of the girl bruised, cut, and swollen.

"Where are we on the mom?" Don asked.

"The neighbor says she is usually home around 6pm." Elliot replied.

"Fin, Munch, I want the two of you headed over there, sit on the place until she shows."

"You got it boss!" Munch said before he and his partner left.

"The two of you I want down at Vital Records, see if Heather was born here in the city and if we have any info on a father." He told them dismissing the pair.

Once again Elliot and Olivia got in their sedan, this time on a mission to find out about their victim's father.

"Detective Stabler, this is Detective Benson, Manhattan SVU. We're looking for birth records for Heather Lewis born January 10th 2006 to Shannon Lewis." He told the clerk at the desk when they had arrived.

The clerk typed the information into the computer and thirty seconds later got up and went to the back of the room before returning with a piece of paper.

"You're in luck, here you go." She said handing them a copy of Heather's birth certificate.

Olivia glanced down at the sheet of paper. Of course there was no father listed. It looked like they were back to square one again. Knowing there was nothing else that could be done being out they headed back to the station.

"Please tell me Fin and John are getting somewhere?" Olivia asked with a yawn as she walked back in the 1-6.

"Not yet. I take it there was no father listed?" Don questioned. "I called Casey and she's working on a search warrant for the apartment as we speak." He told them.

"Good, maybe something will turn up there." Olivia said, yawning again.

"You'd better not be getting sick on me Benson." Don teased, referring to her lack of energy just then and the fact that everyone knew she'd been throwing up just the morning before.

"Nah, I'm good sir. Just didn't get enough sleep last night or whatever." She lied.

"If you want, go catch a few winks in the cribs, I'll send Elliot up if I need you." He said.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'll be okay." Olivia told him as she walked to her desk.

Elliot joined her, sitting at his own desk, and the two got started on their paperwork while waiting for Casey to call with their warrant. Ten minutes later Olivia's phone on her desk rang.

"Benson."

"_Hey Momma!" _Casey teased. _"I've got your warrant."_

"Great, any limitations?" Olivia asked.

"_None, once I told Judge Petrovsky about Heather's injuries she was more than willing to give us free reign if it meant getting whoever did this to that poor baby."_

"Perfect. Thanks Case!"

"_You're welcome! Meet you there!"_

Olivia turned to look up at Elliot.

"Let's go! Casey has our warrant, she'll meet us there." Olivia smiled.

The pair got up and left the station, yet again, to drive to Shannon Lewis' apartment. As they pulled up Olivia noticed Fin and Munch and radioed to them.

"Hey guys, Casey got us our warrant, we're going in." She told them.

"_Sounds good, we'll keep an eye out for the mother." _Munch replied.

Thanks to a helpful super the detectives, Casey, and the CSU squad who had also met them there were allowed easy access to the apartment.

"Hey El?" Olivia called to her partner as she was searching the master bedroom.

"Yeah?" He called back, walking over to her.

"Do you notice something odd about the place?" She asked.

"Like what exactly, the whole place seems odd." He admitted.

"Where are the pictures? For as long as I can remember, even before Kathy left, my place had been filled with pictures of the kids. There are no pictures at all of Heather anywhere. It's almost as if Shannon doesn't want to acknowledge she even exists." Olivia explained.

"I agree, that is a bit odd." Elliot nodded.

"Detectives, you're going to want to see this!" One of the CSU techs called to them from Heather's bedroom.

Elliot and Olivia walked to the room, something in his gut telling Elliot to go check it out without his partner first.

"Let me look first." He whispered to her. "Just a feeling I have."

Elliot walked in the doorway and was immediately grateful that he had Olivia wait in the hall. There on the dull bare white wall directly over Heather's 'bed' which was really just a crib mattress thrown on the floor written in what appeared to be blood was the word 'BITCH' in big huge letters.

"Fuck! What kind of sick twisted individual are we dealing with here?!" He yelled, causing everyone even Olivia to jump.

Just then something in the corner of the room caught his eye. He walked over to look at what it was and realized the object was an aluminum bat sitting next to a steak knife, both objects with dried blood on them.

"I want every single drop of blood in this room typed and tested! If this is Heather's whoever did this will have hell to pay!" Elliot commanded.

He couldn't take it anymore though he needed to get out of there. All he could picture was the little girl sitting in a bed in Mercy General. The little girl who resembled his girlfriend so much. The little girl who his next child was quite likely to resemble as well. It was all too much. He immediately took off running trying to make it to the bathroom before he was reminded of what he had for lunch.

Olivia noticed him fly past here and followed to check on her partner, her boyfriend, the father of her child.

"What happened in there?" She asked, closing the door behind her giving them some privacy.

"I don't know. You know normally I'm okay, even on the kid cases I'm okay at least at the crime scenes. I just kept picturing her in that hospital bed though. I kept thinking about how much she looked like you and how much she looked like she could be our baby girl." He explained, moving his right hand to rub her belly.

"It's okay sweetheart. It'll be okay." She tenderly reassured him.

The two detectives knew it might get them in trouble with the captain but they took the risk and decided to head back to the station.

"Case, we're going to head back. CSU's got a handle on what evidence needs collecting." Olivia told her friend.

"I'll probably get going too. Call me tonight?" She asked.

"Alright." Olivia replied.

The three of them left the apartment and went to their own cars and headed back to their respective offices.

"Don's going to pull us you know." Elliot sighed as he drove back to the station.

"He won't have a reason." Olivia said.

"With everything that's gone on today it's more than obvious we're too close to this one."

"El, he can't and won't pull us from every case we work where the vic reminds us of one of the kids or in this case what could be one of our kids. You know that from the past. We're both just having a horribly rough day today with finding out about the baby. Tomorrow will be a bit better and everyday from then on just getting better and better."

"You're right. We've done this for years and will keep doing it for years to come."

They arrived back at the station and as they walked in the squad room Don came out of his office.

"Benson, Stabler." He said sternly.

"Uh-oh!" Olivia mumbled.

"Yes sir." Elliot replied.

"I just got a phone call about the two of you."

Shit! Elliot thought. They were done for now.

"Oh?" Olivia asked curiously, hoping that whoever had called wasn't going to get them in trouble.

"I was being begged, 'Please Grandpa Don let Mom and Dad come home on time tonight', a new thing for me I'll tell you." He chuckled.

Both let out breaths they didn't realize they were holding in.

"So I'm wondering just why Maureen was begging and pleading with me." He told them.

"I have no idea." Elliot replied, in his mind wishing he could scold his eldest daughter for her big mouth just then.

"Well, whatever the reason you're lucky that I love those kids as if they were my grandkids and can't say no to them. You two get out of here." He said dismissing them for the day.

The pair gathered up their belongings and went to leave for home. Finally when they were about halfway home Elliot burst out laughing.

"I am going to hurt your daughter when we get home." He laughed.

"She starts calling me 'Mom' a month and a half ago and suddenly she's mine and not yours or ours huh?" She chuckled.

"Yep."

The rest of the ride was made in silence, both just thinking how great it was that their moods had been lightened up finally after the day from hell.

Walking in the house they were assaulted with the delicious smell of Maureen's chicken parmesan that Olivia had taught her to make years before.

"Oh God, she cooked. You know what this means?" Elliot asked quietly.

"Oh yeah, we're definitely telling them tonight."

"Mom, Dad, thank God you're home." Dickie came in the living room calling out. "Maur's been driving us crazy all afternoon helping her cook."

"Alright, I assume everything's done. Go gather up your sisters and get everyone to the table." Elliot told him.

The three girls soon came out of the kitchen carrying the food and six glasses of what appeared to be champagne.

"Don't worry Daddy, it's sparking grape juice." Lizzie told her father, seeing the shock on his face.

Soon they were all sitting down to eat.

"So what's with the fancy dinner?" Kathleen asked. "Maureen won't say."

"Well, kids, your father and I have some news for you." Olivia told the kids.

"You're getting married!" Dickie yelled out.

"No RJ, we're not getting married."

"I know!" Lizzie called out. "We're having a baby aren't we?!"

"Yes, we are." Elliot replied.

"It's very important that we know how you all feel about this though." Olivia added.

"We think it's great!" They all yelled at once.


	4. Chapter 4

Has it been a really long time or what?! I am so sorry that it took so long to get this posted. Between the huge writer's block I was having and then being busy as all hell lately with end of the school year things for the kids I haven't even had time to crack my notebook.

Here you go!!

**DISCLAIMER: **Obviously they're not mine.

--

"Well that went well." Olivia whispered to Elliot.

"I told you it would." He replied, smiling.

"So when is the little bambina due?" Lizzie asked.

"I still have to go to see a doctor, but my best guess would be early September." Olivia answered.

"What makes you think it's a girl anyway?"

"Duh Daddy! Look around the table." Lizzie answered.

"Hey, I do have a son!" He retorted.

"The key word there El being a." Olivia laughed.

The girls joined in laughing along with the joke.

"Alright, everyone finish up eating. I'm sure everyone's got homework to do."

The whole family finished eating their dinner and dessert that the kids had made before they split up and headed to their bedrooms to do homework. A few moments later Dickie came walking back into the kitchen where his parents were.

"Umm…Mom?" He asked, obviously nervous.

"What's up RJ?" Olivia asked as she turned away from loading the dishwasher to face the boy who'd become her son.

"I have to do a report and speech for my Public Speaking class, and uh…I need your help." He managed to explain.

"Help me load the dishwasher and then we can go work on it in you room, okay?"

Dickie nodded in agreement and helped Olivia finish loading the dishwasher before the pair headed towards his bedroom. Once inside the room Dickie sat at his desk while Olivia sat on the bed.

"So what's this about?" She asked.

"The topic is 'The Most Influential Man or Woman in Your Life,' the boys have to write about the woman and the girls, the man." He explained.

Unable to help it, a lone tear began tracing down Olivia's cheek.

"Are you sure you want to do your report and speech about me?"

"Of course Mom. Why wouldn't I? You have done so much for us in the past eight years that you've been Dad's partner. Not to mention all you've done for everyone through your work."

"Alright, well let's get cracking then."

For the next two hours they stayed cooped up in Dickie's room hard at work while the other children worked on their homework and Elliot watched some TV.

Finally they had finished, Dickie very happy with the final result. He left his bedroom and began calling to his father and sisters.

"Dad! Maureen! Lizzie! Kat! Come in the living room." He yelled.

Unaware of why they were being called, the rest of the family joined Dickie and now Olivia in the living room.

"What's going on?" Kathleen asked.

"RJ wants to practice his speech with everyone." Olivia explained. "Go ahead." She told him.

"Okay. The Most Influential Woman in My Life is my mom, Olivia Benson. She wasn't always my mom but I would never trade her for any other. Not only is she my mom but she is a detective with the Manhattan Special Victims Unit, my dad's partner to be exact. Everyday she comes face to face with the lowest scum of the city, and everyday she fights for justice for the victims. My mom has been through so much in her life and it has made her this incredibly strong person. She has inspired me and many others to want to help those in need, and to try and make the world a safer place. Those are just a few of the reasons why my mom, Olivia Benson, is the most influential woman in my life."

"Dickie, that was great." Elliot complimented.

"Thanks Dad. You know I feel the same about you and all you've done, right? Mr. Thompson just made the boys write about a woman and the girls a man. He thought it'd be more challenging this way."

"Great job, one question though. Is your speech supposed to be longer?" Lizzie asked.

"No, our reports are longer but the speeches are supposed to be just a bit of what the report says." He explained.

"I think it was perfect!" Olivia said as she pulled him into a hug.

"Us too." Maureen and Kathleen agreed.

"Well, if everyone's done with their homework I think it's time for bed." Elliot told them all.

No one would argue as they all knew that meant it was just time to shower and go to their rooms for the night. No one actually had to go to sleep at 8pm. Obeying their father's wishes the four Stabler kids got up from their seats and headed toward their rooms.

"Goodnight Mom. Goodnight Dad." They all called back.

"What do you say we got jump in the shower and then go lie down and watch some TV together?" Elliot suggested when it was just he and Olivia left in the room.

"Sounds great to me." She replied.

The two walked out of the living room and up the stairs to their bedroom. Once they got to their room they both began undressing for their shower.

"I still can't believe our baby's in there." Elliot said as he stroked over Olivia's uterus.

"I know, it's unbelievable."

They finished undressing and walked into the adjoining bathroom together. As the both stood under the warm water letting it caress their bodies Elliot reached for Olivia's bath sponge and body wash and began slowly and gently cleansing her.

"So, I was thinking, tomorrow I really should call and make a doctor's appointment." Olivia told Elliot.

"Just let me know when and where, I want to be there for everything." He said.

As Elliot ran the bath sponge over Olivia's left breast her body twitched.

"Oh God baby, I'm so sorry. I didn't even think about you having sore breasts yet." He apologized, kissing each one with a feather soft kiss.

"It's not that at all." She blushed.

"Oh really?" He smirked.

Knowing that he must have turned her on then, Elliot quickly tossed the sponge aside and began running his hands down Olivia's body straight to her core.

"Mmm…El…" She moaned as he began teasing her clit.

"You like that, huh?" He asked.

"Oh yeah, you know I do." She managed to get out.

Elliot slipped two of his fingers in her entrance and pumped them in and out while continuing to rub her clit with his thumb. As Olivia struggled to remain standing in their shower he knew she was close. The other thing Olivia Benson was though was stubborn as hell.

"Let go Livvie!" Elliot growled.

"Not…Oh God…not until you're in me."

"I already am." He chuckled, increasing the power of his ministrations.

"Bastard! Not what I meant." She grumbled as she reached to stroke his growing cock.

"Oh, you want that part of me in you. All you had to do was ask Livvie."

Elliot removed his fingers from inside Olivia, braced himself against the shower wall with his right hand and used his now free again left hand to guide his penis into his girlfriend's tight wet passage. Both let out a moan of contentment as he entered her.

"Now that's more like it." She whispered.

She bucked her hips up towards him almost as if to say 'let's get this show on the road.' Taking the hint, he started thrusting in and out of her, deep hard and fast. There was no time for making love now. As soon as her walls began clamping down around him Elliot knew that. They both were so close to the edge. She had already been there and he had joined her almost immediately.

"Now will you stop being so stubborn and cum for me?" He moaned.

"With you Sweetheart."

Within moments Olivia was giving herself over to the orgasm that had seemingly been knocking at her door. As soon as she did, Elliot followed behind spilling his seed deep in her. Only then did the pair manage to notice the water had long gone cold.

"We should get out of here." Elliot said as he turned the water off.

"I think we forgot the getting clean part of showering." She laughed.

"There'll be time in the morning."

The pair got out of the shower and grabbed three towels. One for each of their bodies and one for Olivia's hair. After drying their bodies off they walked into the bedroom to get dressed. Elliot slipping on some boxer briefs and flannel pajama pants while Olivia put on some panties, flannel pajama pants, and a tank top. When she was dressed she left to blow dry her hair while Elliot found a movie for them.

"So what are we watching?" Olivia asked as she walked back in the bedroom once she was done.

"It's probably stupid, but I thought maybe you'd like to watch some home movies of the kids when they were little. Kind of see what we've got to look forward to." He said, blushing slightly.

"El, I would love to!" She exclaimed.

Olivia climbed in bed next to Elliot and snuggled up to him as he hit the play button on the remote for their DVD/VCR combo. A few minutes in Olivia suddenly spoke up.

"I need popcorn!" She called out.

"Alright." Elliot responded, turning off the movie and starting to get up.

"No, I've got it."

She climbed out of bed and started down the hallway. Unbeknownst to Elliot she stopped at Maureen and Kathleen's room, and Dickie's room, and finally Lizzie's room. At each stop she invited that person or people to come watch the movies as well. Once everyone had been invited, Olivia went down to the kitchen, popped six mini bags of microwave popcorn, and threw them all in a huge bowl before going upstairs.

"It seems our bed was over run by these people claiming their mother had invited them in." Elliot chuckled as Olivia walked in with the popcorn.

"I thought they'd like to watch too." She explained.

The six managed to squeeze on Elliot and Olivia's big California King sized bed and Elliot started the movie again. As the movie started up an eight year old Maureen could be seen sitting at the dining room table. In front of her was a big pink cake with Barbie on it. She was surrounded on both sides by an assortment of friends and relatives including a pouting four year old Kathleen.

"Oh God, I remember that birthday!" Maureen laughed. "That was like two months after the twins were born. Kat spent the whole party pouting because everyone was paying attention to me and the twins."

"I seem to remember someone else doing that when everyone was paying attention to Kat when she was a baby." Elliot joked.

"Don't tell me the two of you are going to pout when the new baby gets here too." Olivia teased the twins.

Just then on the movie as Maureen had blown out her candles on the screen and everyone cheered for her Kathleen could be seen getting up from the table and running. Elliot, who was obviously doing camera duty as well, following behind.

Halfway up the steps Elliot fell dropping the camera which was then picked up by his brother John who finished filming.

"Way to go Dad!" Dickie said laughing. "It's a good thing it wasn't one of us you were carrying."

The family continued to sit there and watch the rest of that tape and then two more, one from when Maureen was brought home from the hospital and another showing Christmas when the kids were three, seven, and eleven years old. Olivia couldn't help but notice that throughout the movies she never once saw Kathy. Even the day Maureen came home from the hospital, John had been filming while Elliot carried Maureen in. She knew she would have to ask Elliot about that later.

"Alright, I think it's about time for bed." Elliot declared after noticing it was after midnight.

All four kids let out a groan.

"I need my sleep. We can watch more tomorrow." Olivia told them.

They agreed and all reluctantly left their parents' bedroom.

"So, which of the girls do you think she'll look like?" Olivia asked as she crawled under the covers with Elliot.

"Maybe he'll look like Dickie." Elliot smirked.

"I don't know, I feel like we're having a daughter."

"Guess we'll just have to wait and see."

Elliot pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"You're welcome, though I'm not sure what for."

"For having my baby, for helping RJ with his speech, for being the mother to my children that they've apparently longed for for years." He told her.

"He'll kill you if he hears you call him that."

"I know, my kids and their 'Liv nicknames', very protective bunch they are with them." He said laughing.

"Speaking of their mother…" She began.

"I assume you're not referring to yourself." He stated, noticing the serious tone she was taking.

"Not this time, no. El, where was Kathy in those home movies? You can't just edit someone out, at least not a normal person."

Olivia hated that she was asking him. She hated that she was prying into his past. But a comment Maureen had made on their trip back in December was forcing her to know.

"She was working. She used to say that she scheduled herself opposite me as often as she could so that one of us could be with the kids at all times. Unfortunately that meant missing birthdays and holidays sometimes."

"El, those were her kids' special days though! Not to mention when her own daughter had just been born!" Olivia yelled.

"Honey, I know." He started, trying to calm her. "I was so caught up in my daughter when Maureen came home and then by the time the kids got a little older I was so involved in things with work at that time that I was just thankful to not be missing those times myself. I believed her when she said she'd celebrated with them earlier."

"When did you find out?" She asked.

"On the cruise." He whispered. "I know I was a shitty father Liv. I know I owed it to them to be there more for them. I just assumed that Kathy was putting in double time to make up for it."

Just then Olivia noticed a tear slip down Elliot's cheek. She couldn't remember the last time, if ever, that she'd seen him cry.

"I swear to you Livvie, I'm going to be there for everything in this baby's life. I will be some damn attentive to their every want and need. To all five children." He sobbed.

"Sweetheart, I know you will. I've seen you everyday the past year with them. I promise you, this baby will know the love of her mother. The love her brother and sisters have come to know in the past year."

Olivia couldn't keep her own tears at bay any longer. The two cried for their older children and all they had missed out on in their lives thus far. They cried happy tears for their child to come, knowing that if they worked at it they could give that child everything he or she could desire.

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**You know the drill, please review!! **


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